Hey earth muffins! Have you ever heard about the five love languages? Basically, all people give and receive their love in five different ways. You can take a quiz online to figure out your own expressions of love (if you don’t know already). These “languages” are used whenever you show your love to your partner, family, friends, etc…. So why not use these five love languages to show Mother Earth how much you love her?? ❤️ 🌎 In today’s post I’m going to share easy ways to express your love for each of the different types – let’s jump right into it!
We all know very well about the topic of zero waste, but when we are working towards making a home more energy efficient, there are simple alterations (for example, a LED light bulb), but there are also larger components that you can add to your property. So in terms of design and practicality, what are the best approaches to give your property a better chance of being energy efficient?
Insulation is the Key to Everything
You need to look at the doors, windows, loft, and walls of the property and address if they are actually sealed and insulated. Because if you find air seeping through the cracks, insulation will keep your home cool in summer and warm in the winter and ensure that your cooling or heating systems don’t work excessively to regulate the temperature. This is where window panes are often missed opportunities. You can find energy efficient windows near you that will provide an extra element of insulation, as well as additional security for the property. You also need to pay attention to the insulation of the ceilings, floors, walls, and building seals. If you want to be energy efficient you will need to install more insulation than is the bare minimum.
Have the Right Building Materials
If you want to be more energy efficient in terms of design choices, you need to find the right sustainable materials. There are a wide variety of sustainable building materials you could use to repair and add to your property. These include the following:
If you are upgrading your home or building a new one, sustainable materials can be factored into the overall design to improve energy efficiency, but will also make a big difference in terms of your waste because you are not sending as much of it to incinerators or landfills.
The Potential of Solar Power
Solar power is often touted as a catch-all solution. It can be very effective, however, you need to consider some of the following:
The direction your house is facing. If you have many south-facing windows, you will be able to heat the home more efficiently in the winter and stay cooler in the summer. Covering the windows will keep your home cooler.
The cost. While solar power can be expensive, it is a very excellent return on investment depending on where you are. There are many solar energy companies that are now paying people for any additional energy solar panels produce.
How it may affect your overall home costs. It can be an investment upfront but solar panels could have an impact on your mortgage.
Installing Smart Home Systems
One of the most commonly discussed aspects of the modern home is having smart meters and lighting systems installed. Smart upgrades can do a lot to make life easier for you, but they can also save money on your energy bills. Smart home devices are useful because they learn your habits and preferences and can make suggestions according to your energy users based on how much you wish to say. Some popular upgrades include the following:
Smart security systems.
Smart thermostats.
Smart lighting systems.
Home hubs.
Energy meters.
Ensuring that you are able to upgrade to a smart home is not just about saving money but many people may have quibbles with regard to plugging their home into the internet. Many people become so reliant on the internet, but if it goes down that means it may prove to be a problem. Give consideration to your local area and the quality of the internet before you undergo this.
Purchase Efficient Utilities and Supplies
Your appliances might be the problem behind the energy bills. There’s a variety of energy-efficient appliances, such as the aforementioned LED lights, but also you can now purchase energy-efficient washing machines, refrigerators, dehumidifiers, and dishwashers. Finding energy-efficient appliances is far easier these days. Just make sure that they have been certified by Energy Star.
Think About Your Location
Finally, before you begin remodeling your home, you’ve got to have an inherent understanding of the energy concerns based on your location. If you live in a more temperate climate, you may not need to put as much effort into insulating the property and there could be more effective ways to be more energy efficient in the long run.
If you really want to make your home energy efficient these are some of the best ways to do it, but you can also get an energy audit or assessment so you can have a better understanding of how to improve your energy efficiency.
Hey earth muffins! No doubt about it, wedding season is upon us! The summer months seem to be synonymous with weddings, which means you might find yourself at a ceremony or two this year. 👰♀️ While you obviously have little control if the wedding itself is eco-friendly, there are still ways you can be a sustainable wedding guest! Every small thing counts, so make it a goal of yours to reduce your impact on the planet at all events this summer.
~ Wear a secondhand outfit.
This is one of the easiest ways to be a sustainable wedding guest. Instead of buying a new dress for every wedding, shop your closet and be a proud outfit repeater. Or, borrow something from a friend! If you need to find something more specific, hit up all the secondhand stores in your area. You’d be surprised at how many cute fancy dresses are at the thrift store!
Hey earth muffins! Plant-based diets are amazing – not just for the planet, but for you too. When considering the switch to a more eco-friendly diet, a lot of people think about how their iron levels are going to be affected. There is a common misconception that all plant-based dieters have low iron… Which isn’t always the case. To ensure that I was getting the correct amount of iron, I decided to try out the Lucky Iron Fish. 🐟 Let’s jump into my full review of this product!
What is the Lucky Iron Fish?
The Lucky Iron Fish is basically that: a solid iron fish. It is made out of food-grade (and FDA certified) electrolytic iron powder. When this fish is boiled in a liquid, it releases a significant amount of iron that helps you get to your daily recommended amount. Women need about 18mg of iron each day, which can be difficult to achieve even if you aren’t subscribing to a plant-based diet. I know I struggle with my iron during that time of the month, so this fish is an excellent way to fortify my foods.
Hey earth muffins! A four day weekend for the holiday meant I did a lot of thrifting this weekend. 😍 I hope everyone had a wonderful Independence Day as well! Secondhand shopping is one of my favorite things – and a great way to find new clothes for the summer months. While thrift shopping is much better for Mother Earth, I make sure to follow these “rules of thrifting” to keep my consumption at a planet-friendly level. Let’s jump into the rules!
1. Only buy things that you will wear for the next 5+ years
Fashion trends change faster than the weather these days. So, it is important to buy clothing that is timeless and will last many years. Never buy anything that you will stop wearing after a few months. This results in buying more clothes and consuming more resources from the planet. Classic pieces never go out of style and can be reworn (and restyled) time and time again.
Hey earth muffins! Happy Plastic Free July! 🌎 🎉 This month is a great time to focus on plastic-free living to reduce your consumption of plastics in your daily life. I personally have a goal to reduce plastics as much as possible; but, I know that I will still encounter some plastics this month and beyond. So will you! To prevent these from ending up in the landfill, it is important to recycle anything that you can. Today, I will be sharing everything you need to know about the recycling symbol.
What is the Recycling Symbol?
I am 99.99% sure that you have seen this symbol before. ♻️ It seems to be everywhere in the eco community and is automatically associated with anything to do with recycling. The three arrows of the symbol represent the three steps of the recycle process:
Hey earth muffins! Plastic Free July starts tomorrow – will you be participating this year?? One of the popular activities to do during July is to host a plastic free morning tea. ☕ According to the PFJ website, these teas are “a tangible and delicious way to get others involved and start having conversations around plastic free ideas, sharing solutions and making a real difference together”. I mean, who wouldn’t love to have a tea party?! In today’s post, I will be sharing my top tips for how you can host a plastic free morning tea during PFJ!
1. Make sure you have zero waste tea and/or coffee!
Tea (and talking about plastic use) is obviously the central part of this event… So make sure you have zero waste coffee and tea! I’ve written a whole post on how to reduce plastic when brewing your hot beverages. My top tip is to buy yourself a stainless steel tea infuser. There is no need for tea bags when you can opt for loose leaf tea instead!
It has always been important to you to respect the environment and do everything you can to reduce your impact on the planet. One of the things you do everyday is go about your normal work routine, whether you’re commuting into the office or heading to your local cafe for your morning coffee. When it comes to living an eco-friendly life, there are a number of ways in which you can tweak your everyday work habits so that you can go greener and protect the environment. Consider some of the following ideas and get started right away!
